It differs from social media management, which focuses on what a brand publishes. Community management focuses on what happens next: the replies, the direct messages, the questions in groups and the conversations that start without the brand. A community manager is often the first to notice a complaint, a trend or an idea worth acting on.
Good community management is consistent and human. It answers quickly and in a recognisable voice, welcomes newcomers, steps in when a discussion turns hostile and passes useful feedback to the people who can act on it. Over time, it turns followers into regulars, and regulars into advocates who recommend the brand without being asked.
